Key Difference: NBC is a broadcast channel, which means that is plays TV shows, day time shows, children programming, talk shows, and even news shows. In contrast, MSNBC is a news channel.

NBC and MSNBC are two different broadcast channels. They are owned by the same company, NBCUniversal. NBC stands for National Broadcasting Company. However, MSNBC was originally started by NBC in collaboration with Microsoft. Hence, the MS for Microsoft, while NBC for National Broadcasting Company.

NBC is a broadcast channel, which means that is plays TV shows, day time shows, children programming, talk shows, and even news shows. In contrast, MSNBC is a news channel. It plays ‘a full schedule of live news coverage, political opinions and award-winning documentary programming – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.’

NBC is the older of the two. NBC was started in 1939. It was preceded by a radio channel, also called NBC, which first started broadcast in 1926. NBC is currently the oldest major broadcast network in the United States. MSNBC, on the other hand, was started in 1996, which makes it practically a fledgling as compared to NBC.

NBC has eleven owned-and-operated stations and nearly 200 affiliates in the United States and Canada. In addition, it also has NBC-branded international channels in South Korea and Germany. MSNBC is broadcasted in the United States, Canada, South Africa, Kenya, parts of Latin America, and parts of Northern Africa.

Comparison between NBC and MSNBC:

Image Courtesy: en.wikipedia.org, now.msnbc.com